VISE REPAIR 101 all vise repairs, lubricants, sources for parts and the tricks to fix

[Palantir]

Newb question number 2:
Hope this is not posted in the wrong section. According to all I found on Reed there should be a 4 digit stamp on the left side of the dynamic jaw, where the screw gets in.
I have two stamps there- one sloppier and uneven 123 and another much nicer 425
What is the year my vise was made?

 

[Outlawmws]

Hope this is not posted in the wrong section. --- What is the year my vise was made?

There is a thread for finding date codes on Reed vises specifically. Sorry, I don't have it saved. <<< Edit Found it

 

[Palantir]

There is a thread for finding date codes on Reed vises specifically. Sorry, I don't have it saved. <<< Edit Found it

Thank you Outlawmws. Should I/Can I move my post somehow to that thread?

 

[Outlawmws]

Thank you Outlawmws. Should I/Can I move my post somehow to that thread?

I'd just re-post there if needed you are likely to find the info you need on the first page.

It would need a mod to move a post. possibly even the site owner.

 

[7.3444]

Hey guys where would be the correct thread to ask questions about a odd date code on a old Wilton bullet vise?

 

[Mintgrun]

Hey guys where would be the correct thread to ask questions about a odd date code on a old Wilton bullet vise?

Wilton Bullet Vise date stamping. show yours with or without EXP on slide

ALL: Wilton bullet vises had a 5 year warranty (guarantee) date stamped on some of their vises then went to the actual date they were built sometime in the early 60's or maybe late 50's. also the dates stamped on some of the early vises did or didn't have a EXP or a Guarantee also stamped on...

www.garagejournal.com

EDIT-- I just saw your posts in that thread and the suggestion that you try the main Vise thread. Here is a link to that one.

The VISES of Garage Journal

We have seen everyone's toolboxes so let's see the vises! (no, not vices :)) I'm sure there are some really cool ones out there. Large or small, let's see them all! Here's my Charles Parker 107 and my Wilton 1780: The Wilton has an 8" jaw and weighs about 110 lbs. The CP has a 6" jaw and...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[fishwatcher]

Well.. my good neighbor said, no charge. Here it is with a little polishing on my part after he machined the jaw and anvil surfaces.

In July 2025, I posted about getting my Wilton C0 jaws machined flat at the top. Before the modification, the jaw tops sat uneven in the vise and were pretty well worn.

My machinist neighbor did the work and the results were great (plenty good for me. there are some circular machine swirls I haven’t polished out.. and probably won’t). See the results in the post I quoted above.

I’ve since explored a few additional ways to get new jaw surfaces (not just the top).

I tried two different options from terrific garagejournal.com sources for vise jaws.

Recently, I sent in my worn original jaws to Kendrick Logan and had him resurface the toothy part of the jaws. They came out really nice! These serrations look good and are aggressive. He didn’t touch the rest of the jaws, except to remove burrs from the edges, and maybe give it a little extra polish.
This is how they looked before the resurface.


I also ordered replacement jaws from Nick Carava (@autopts on eBay) and they look really really great on their own. All surfaces are smooth and edges are chamfered. They came with a flattened points surface, which should make them less damaging to any soft parts that are being squeezed.

You can see these placed on top of the resurfaced ones here. They are a little beefier than my originals, which is also nice.

My vise makes these sit unevenly at the top.. which is why I got my machined top jaws resurfaced.

Apologies for not knowing the proper vise terminology. I’d be happy to learn the correct terms.

Thanks for reading!

 

[AntiqueVises]

In July 2025, I posted about getting my Wilton C0 jaws machined flat at the top. Before the modification, the jaw tops sat uneven in the vise and were pretty banged up.

My neighbor did the work and the results were great (plenty good for me. there are some circular machine swirls I haven’t polished out.. and probably won’t). See the results in the post I quoted above.

I’ve since explored a few additional ways to get new jaw surfaces (not just the top).

I tried two different options from terrific garagejournal.com sources for vise jaws.

Recently, I sent in my worn original jaws to Kendrick Logan and had him resurface the toothy part of the jaws. They came out really nice! These serrations look good and are aggressive. He didn’t touch the rest of the jaws, except to remove burrs from the edges, and maybe give it a little extra polish.
This is how they looked before the resurface.


I also ordered replacement jaws from Nick Carava (autopts on eBay) and they look really great. They came with a flattened points

Apologies for not knowing the proper vise terminology. I’d be happy to learn the correct terms.


Thanks for reading!

In July 2025, I posted about getting my Wilton C0 jaws machined flat at the top. Before the modification, the jaw tops sat uneven in the vise and were pretty banged up.

My neighbor did the work and the results were great (plenty good for me. there are some circular machine swirls I haven’t polished out.. and probably won’t). See the results in the post I quoted above.

I’ve since explored a few additional ways to get new jaw surfaces (not just the top).

I tried two different options from terrific garagejournal.com sources for vise jaws.

Recently, I sent in my worn original jaws to Kendrick Logan and had him resurface the toothy part of the jaws. They came out really nice! These serrations look good and are aggressive. He didn’t touch the rest of the jaws, except to remove burrs from the edges, and maybe give it a little extra polish.
This is how they looked before the resurface.


I also ordered replacement jaws from Nick Carava (autopts on eBay) and they look really great. They came with a flattened points surface, which should make them slightly easier on whatever parts are being squeezed.

You can see these placed on top of the resurfaced ones here. They are a little beefier than my originals, which is also nice.

My vise makes these sit unevenly at the top.. which is why I went to get my machined top jaws resurfaced.

Apologies for not knowing the proper vise terminology. I’d be happy to learn the correct terms.

Thanks for reading!

The vise looks great, thank you for the business! I often prefer the look of them with the factory worn jaws after resurfacing compared to brand new ones.

 

[drs3317]

I'm restoring a Craftsman 5196 that has seen better days. It came to me apart and is missing the center swivel bolt. I am sure no one has one to sell so I am hoping someone at least can give me the dimensions of the bolt so I can make one. Thanks.
Danny

 

[RTM]

I'm restoring a Craftsman 5196 that has seen better days. It came to me apart and is missing the center swivel bolt.

If no one pops up with the dimensions, a pair of calipers and a thread pitch gage can tell you all you need to know, if you have the rest of the vise.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'm restoring a Craftsman 5196 that has seen better days. It came to me apart and is missing the center swivel bolt. I am sure no one has one to sell so I am hoping someone at least can give me the dimensions of the bolt so I can make one. Thanks.
Danny

You can make a decent swivel center bolt with a bolt, a larger washer, and a bushing, a lot easier than making one from scratch.

 

[RTM]

You can make a decent swivel center bolt with a bolt, a larger washer, and a bushing, a lot easier than making one from scratch.

Don’t give away all the magic at once. I thought that was only for us hacks without metal turning skills.

 

[Outlawmws]

Don’t give away all the magic at once. I thought that was only for us hacks without metal turning skills.

True, but if you do the bushing/washer version first, you now know exactly what to make on a lathe if you want.

 

[drs3317]

Thanks guys for all the ideas. I was also thinking of making the bolt. However, since the threads are messed up I cannot get a good reading with my thread gauge. It seems to be a 13/16-14 tph but just not sure because the whole looks to be a lottle oversized and the threads in bad shape from rust and maybe somewhat stripped. If I knew for sure I would buy a tap and try to clean them up. I may just go oversize with a 7/8" which may make more since because I will have to buy the tap and if the 13/16" doesn't clean it up I would still have to then buy the &/8" tap.

 

[Midwest Shop Supply]

Here is a new product we have begun manufacturing, this is a pair of Pipe Jaws that will fit the early Wilton C1 bench vises that uses the two pin mounting system. We are also in the process of manufacturing the two pin mounting style Pipe Jaws for the early Wilton C2 bench vises as well, and pictures will follow soon. Let me know if you are looking for a pair of either style!

 

[hose dragger]

Thanks in advance for any advice I can get. My FIL passed away and we are sorting through his estate. He was a mechanic so there are several vintage tools he had in storage. I am completely ignorant about vises. I will attempt to post pictures of the made in England Record No. 6 he used at his business. Options I’m considering are: selling as is in the estate sale, doing a rehab on it and giving it to my son (it was his grand dad’s) he would use it so it wouldn’t need to be beautiful just functional. I’m pretty handy and like to work on things so not intimidated by working on it. Obviously it needs new jaws and the handle is bent but otherwise it seems to function fine. Appreciate any direction.

 

[Outlawmws]

doing a rehab on it and giving it to my son (it was his grand dad’s) he would use it so it wouldn’t need to be beautiful just functional.

This gets my vote. jaws may still be available? Not sure. if not, or too much $$$, easy enough to make.

 

[ALLFAST]

Thanks in advance for any advice I can get. My FIL passed away and we are sorting through his estate. He was a mechanic so there are several vintage tools he had in storage. I am completely ignorant about vises. I will attempt to post pictures of the made in England Record No. 6 he used at his business. Options I’m considering are: selling as is in the estate sale, doing a rehab on it and giving it to my son (it was his grand dad’s) he would use it so it wouldn’t need to be beautiful just functional. I’m pretty handy and like to work on things so not intimidated by working on it. Obviously it needs new jaws and the handle is bent but otherwise it seems to function fine. Appreciate any direction.

I’m 99.9% sure that the modern Irwin vise jaw inserts commonly available on EB fit the Paramo/Record vise, and I’m pretty certain that Autopts on our forum has them in his EB store!

Keep this vise in the family !

 

[Patrickm82]

Keep it! I’m sure your boy would love it. I know I would if I got that from my dad via gramps.

 

[zanyad]

Keep it! I’m sure your boy would love it. I know I would if I got that from my dad via gramps.

Another vote to keep it!

One of my uncles grabbed the vises off my grandfather's workbench after he passed last year. I'd love to have one.

 

[Patrickm82]

I was also able to get 2 of my grandfathers vises. A Prentiss 20 and an Athol 614.

 

[AMJ6]

I am a rookie restoring my second Reed 204 1/2 R, date code 9/53. This vice is a working shop vice, my issue is I have found wear on the handle/screw on the threaded side(pics attached)and the center bolt threads and where it screws into the centerbody. Any repair suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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[drivesitfar]

AMJ: first off nice find and old Reed vises are at or near the top of my favorites.

Do you have welding skills? If so there are a few ideas that can be done to your old Reed to improve it. I’ll let others with welding skills better than me describe the process and or type of welding techniques.

There’s also several ways to maybe slow down or stop the process of your main screw rubbing off material too with some types of washers or possibly back to welding back on material to fix the slop issue.

Are you a machinist or do you know a good one that might make you a new screw to hold the swivel base on? Again welding skills and putting on new threads could be an option.

Good luck and keep us posted

 

[paulsomlo]

I am a rookie restoring my second Reed 204 1/2 R, date code 9/53. This vice is a working shop vice, my issue is I have found wear on the handle/screw on the threaded side(pics attached)and the center bolt threads and where it screws into the centerbody. Any repair suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The "right" way to do it, would be to clean up the backside of the spindle on a lathe, then shim it back out again to take up the slop. You can shim it with bronze washers or get fancy with thrust needle bearings and two hardened raceways. A step further (and probably necessary), would be to clean up the mating surface on the moving jaw, although you're probably into vertical mill/boring head territory there.

Regarding that center bolt - it may be just the way the picture was taken, but the threads appear to be Buttress. If that's so, you may be SOL. The way to deal with it, is to ID the thread and look for a matching die or just make a new part on the lathe.

 

[RTM]

Regarding that center bolt - it may be just the way the picture was taken, but the threads appear to be Buttress. If that's so, you may be SOL. The way to deal

If this is NOT true, you can also build up the bolt, by using a regular bolt, washer and bushing. The tricky part is making sure your bushing is exactly the right size, ID and OD to prevent slop, and the height just tall enough to allow you to tighten the bolt without impeding the ability to rotate the vise.

 

[Outlawmws]

If this is NOT true, you can also build up the bolt, by using a regular bolt, washer and bushing. The tricky part is making sure your bushing is exactly the right size, ID and OD to prevent slop, and the height just tall enough to allow you to tighten the bolt without impeding the ability to rotate the vise.

I don't think that center bolt is buttress; just horrible wear.

 

[KMScott]

I’ve repaired a couple by removing the galled thread then drilling and tapping the shoulder bolt the same thread type then buying a short quality all thread from McMaster Carr and Silver brazing in place. Re tap the existing Static base and hopefully there is enough casting to have a exceptable thread.

The spindle was frictioned welded and should be fine. I like to re cut the bearing surface on the Dynamic jaw support then re cut the flange area on the spindle and make a Bronze shim. Drill and tap the collar after figuring out the set screw location for minimum backlash. Funny how it goes, I made a drawing of a new collar today for my Prentiss #20 snapped a pic so I can make the new collar later.

 

[AMJ6]

Thanks for all the info guys, I've cleaned up all the parts and used a tap and die on the center bolt and base. When I tore the vice down the center bolt was only partially threaded in, I'm assuming thats what caused the wear. It will now thread in all the way. That being said, is the purpose of the center bolt to hold the vice down while it rotates on it's collar/shoulder? How tight should it be, would some loctite on the threads do any good? Thanks again for helping a newb.

 

[RTM]

That being said, is the purpose of the center bolt to hold the vice down while it rotates on it's collar/shoulder? How tight should it be, would some loctite on the threads do any good?

As I said above, just tight enough to not allow the vise to rock while rotating. The screw needs to bottom out in the hole, else it will work it’s way loose.

As most of those center screws are a real bear to get out, I probably would only use the easily reversible loc-Tite, if anything. I think in your case, with the damaged threads, the next person to work on it, in 50 years, might forgive you.

 

[Outlawmws]

As I said above, just tight enough to not allow the vise to rock while rotating. The screw needs to bottom out in the hole, else it will work it’s way loose.

Just to clarify - the shoulder of the screw needs or bottom out and there needs to be sufficient space for the vice to rotate

 

[RTM]

Just to clarify - the shoulder of the screw needs or bottom out and there needs to be sufficient space for the vice to rotate

oops, good point, No coffee yet.